Braxton Family Christmas, The Braxtons (Def Jam)

You all know Toni Braxton, the hit R'nB singer, and some of you probably know she didn't become big until she went solo from her family-based vocal group. A few years back, Toni and the family reunited not for music but for the reality show "Braxton Family Values." And now you know where the album title comes from. There's no lack of talent on display, as the a capella version of "O Holy Night" should spell out for you. It's a short album, just eight songs (two versions of Donny Hathaway's "This Christmas" pump it up to nine), and there aren't really any surprises here, just a modern R'nB Christmas album bordering on adult contemporary. There are three originals, one of which is "Every Day Is Christmas" with Babyface and Toni as two of the writers, and it's a catchy little number. "Blessed New Year" is also a Toni co-write, and "Under My Christmas Tree" is a standard ballad written by Michael Braxton. They also perform "Mary, Did You Know?," the above-mentioned two takes of "This Christmas" (the album opener is the better version), and a listenable soul version of the ubiquitous "Last Christmas." Hate to encourage anything connected with a reality show franchise, but talent will out. Toni previously had a solo Christmas album, as did Tamar.

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